Is It Time For a Logo Update?
The logo you use sends out a message to all who view it. As an iconic symbol representing your business or organization, your logo needs to work for you. It is true that repetitiveness, consistency, and omnipresence are wonderful characteristics for a brand to have. However, there are several reasons that a logo update may be important to you.
Changes In The Marketplace
Former brick-and-mortar institutions have an ever-increasing online presence or wish to appear as though they do. Your logo must create more accessibility in its usage on the printed medium as well as the virtual world. If the style, line, or font is antiquated in a way that was not intended, it is time to consider a logo redesign.
Changes In Your Organization
Periodically, your company’s or organization’s services, products, mission, or target audience will change. Your logo can reflect the improvements you’ve made or the milestones you’ve reached. Has your group or company recently become more eco-friendly? Have you added more products or services? Have you moved to a new location or want to create a new online image with a new domain name?
A physical move of your place of business or organization means you will need to update your address on letterhead, signs, business cards, shirts, or other printed items. This is a perfect time to reflect on the relevance of your logo since you will need to order updated marketing materials.
Updating your business practices creates an opportune time to consider updating your logo. Maybe you are releasing a new e-commerce website or adding new office locations. How well does your branding and logo translate within the online environment? Is your logo clean and bright on the computer screen? Does your logo project the message and feelings that you wish to portray as your image?
Transition events like these are optimal for enhancing a new marketing strategy and a fresh logo while you announce your new address or new business practices.
Simplification For Easier Recognition
Simple can be beautiful. A simple logo of bold lines and a few colors can be easier on the eyes and easier to remember. A logo should be recognizable with one glance. The viewer can perceive the subtle meaning. The next time they see it, they will know it is yours.
The most memorable logo designs are simple in appearance and act as a memorable identifier for the organization or company represented. An average person will normally just take a brief glimpse at a logo so one that is overly complex will decrease the opportunity for it to be remembered.
You may think that a simple logo is harder to market because an obvious meaning may not easily be determined from it. In actuality, it always depends on how good your marketing strategies are. Take a look at the Apple logo. It is simple. But one look at it, you will immediately know that the iPhone, iPad, or laptop was made by Apple because it bears the famous logo.
Retro Can Be Cool: Stale Is Not
An outdated logo is like wearing cargo shorts and flip flops to a job interview – you may surely stand out, but not in a flattering way. Renewed excitement and vibrancy can be brought to your brand with an updated logo. Your refreshed logo can have a reinvigorating effect on customers and employees. A logo redesign keeps your image from feeling stale or out of touch. In most cases, the logo was great when it was initially designed but now looks outdated. You can still hold true to the history and people represented in your existing logo, but freshen up the colors and expression. How is your logo doing? Is it stuck representing what your company used to do? Is it looking just like every other logo in your industry? When someone sees your logo, do they remember who you are and what you do?
If you decide that it is time to redesign your logo, make sure you have it done professionally. Presently, a logo is not just for business cards and letterhead. Your logo needs to shine on your website, on your signage and marketing materials, on your staff’s shirts or employees’ uniforms, or on your cars and delivery trucks. Maybe you have had someone else design your original logo and they failed to provide you with all of the file versions you need to use it effectively. In this case, you will need to have your logo recreated in all of the file formats necessary for it to look its best online and on printed materials.